For 2012, 14 best beach awards have landed on the shores of the island. Isle of Wight beaches to be recognised for the coveted Blue Flag (which represents water quality as well as the overall cleanliness and good maintenance of the beach) include Shanklin, Sandown and Ventnor. The three championship beaches also secured Quality Coast awards, which are offered by the venerable Keep Britain Tidy scheme as a recognition of litter-free sand and pebbles.

Ventnor Beach, England, UK by Andreas Trepte

Colwell; Springvale; Cowes and East Cowes; Gurnard; Yaverland; and Totland join the multi-award winning three as other proud recipients of the Quality Coast award.

The award winning beaches cover most of the island’s coast and most of the places frequently visited by tourists. Local authorities and businesses inspect the beaches on a daily basis to make sure they are clean and safe, and have implemented a set of guidelines for safe use of the Isle of Wight’s beaches, intended to help beach users get the most from the environment without spoiling it for themselves or for others.

For crab hunting, rock pool hunting or just sitting down on the sand and quietly contemplating the sea, Bembridge’s beaches are just the ticket. The town boasts a number of quiet bays, filled with either sand, pebble or shell. While they are close to busy waters (they overlook the Solent), the beaches themselves are quiet and endearing. They are popular with families who like to scramble around the tidal reach, collecting shells and gazing into the mysteries of the ocean creatures who live there!

For a quiet family stay, the west coast of the island is where it’s at. Here smaller beaches mean fewer people, and many of the sandy coves are tucked away so discreetly that they can get overlooked altogether. Queen of the quiet beaches, Colwell bay is a small sandy bay, and offers pleasant lunches in one or two cafes. The clear water attracts families who come to investigate the life below the waves.

Compton bay, Isle of Wight, England, UK by JimChampion

For more action and adventure, surfers of all stripes tend to head over to Compton bay. A beach break working at all stages of the tide, Compton benefits from brisk winds, which power the sailed craft with ease. Also, Compton is a great place to go fossil hunting – at low tide you can see fossilised dinosaur footprints in the rocks at the edges of the bay.

Freshwater is another excellent family beach, which enjoys shelter from a small headland. Freshwater is well served with cafes and also enjoys proximity to the local golf course.

Author Bio:

The author along with the family live on the Isle of Wight since 2004 and owns Wight Locations, a self-catering holiday cottage company with holiday properties across the Island. With a keen love for the Island, the author writes about the experiences and about the best things to do when visiting.

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